Abstract: A digital data storage system comprises a storage device, a descriptor memory and a control device. The storage device stores a series of records, the records being organized in a plurality of tracks, each track being associated with one of a plurality of cylinders. The descriptor memory stores a descriptor associated with storage device. The descriptor contains selected information relating to the records stored by the at least one storage device. Each descriptor includes a plurality of cylinder portions each configured to store selected information relating to a respective one of the cylinders in the storage device. Each cylinder portion, in turn, includes a plurality of track descriptors each configured to store selected information relating to a respective one of the tracks in the respective cylinder. The storage device also stores the descriptor associated therewith, the cylinder portions of the descriptor being augmented with additional information relating to the respective ones of the cylinders.